Alejandro Cobo Ortiz 4º A

Origin Of Halloween The original vegetable Costumes Jack-o- Lantern Trick or treat Typical food -Click on here to see the end-

Origin of Halloween: Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.

The original vegetable used is the pumpkin The peoples of Celtic origin, as tradition dictated hollowed turnips and put coal in them to light the way back to the world of the living to their dearest dead and so welcomed them, while they protected from evil spirits. But when the Irish came to America, pumpkins met and realized that these were much larger and easier to hollow than turnips, from that time that no one has grown up knowing a Jack-o-lantern, the dark ‘’Candle Jack’’

Costumes: The tradition of dressing up for Halloween has Celtic roots in Europe. Hundreds of years ago, winter nights were menacing. People feared the darkness of night and Bruges Day, when it was believed that ghosts came back, people thought you would find if he left home. So, to avoid being recognized by ghosts, wore masks when they left their homes after sunset, in order to fool the ghosts in their search for spirits. The first American colony celebrations included public holidays where neighbors shared stories of death and ghosts, guessed lucky, danced and sang. For half of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated across the country. This became widespread with the arrival of new immigrants in the second half of the century. At that time, Americans began to dress up and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that later became what we know today as the trick or treating.

Trick-or-treating—going from house to house in search of candy and other goodies—has been a popular Halloween tradition in the United States and other countries for an estimated 100 years. But the origins of this community-based ritual, which costumed children typically savor while their cavity-conscious parents grudgingly tag along, remain hazy. Possible forerunners to modern-day trick-or-treating have been identified in ancient Celtic festivals, early Roman Catholic holidays, medieval practices and even British politic

The first thing that most people will come to mind when you hear or read the term Halloween is the pumpkin. "Halloween and pumpkins " are associated in recent history inextricably party. Its use originated in a legend that now I reproduce : For many, many years, a cheapskate and Irish brawler named Jack, had the misfortune of meeting the devil at a tavern in Halloween. Jack, known drunk, drank a lot but could trick the Devil offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The devil was transformed into a coin to pay the waiter, but Jack quickly took it and put it in her purse. As Jack had a cross in his purse, the devil could not return to its original shape. Jack would not go to hell until he promised not to ask her soul in 10 years. The devil had no choice but to award Jack his claim. Jack -o- Lantern Ten years later, Jack met the Devil in the field. The devil was prepared to take the soul of Jack, but Jack thought quickly and said : "I will go willingly, but before you do it, bring me the apple tree is in that please". The devil thought he had nothing to lose, and jumped reached the top of the tree, but before the devil knew it, Jack had quickly carved a cross into the tree trunk. Then the Devil could not come down. Jack the devil made ​​him promise that his soul would never ask again. The devil had no choice but to accept. Jack died a few years later, but could not enter heaven, because during his life he had been a gulf, drunk and a swindler. But when he tried to enter, at least, in the dreadful hell, the devil had to send it back, he could not take his soul ( he promised ). " Where will I go now? " Asked Jack, and the devil replied, " Go back where you came from ". The way back was dark and the terrible wind would not let him see anything.. The devil tossed Jack a burning coal directly from hell, to be guided in the darkness, and Jack put in a turnip he was eating, so it does not turn off with the wind. Jack was doomed to wander in darkness forever..... Jack -o- Lantern You see this haunting legend speaks of a turnip inside which Jack placed the ember of coal as a bluff. It says nothing about pumpkins ( pumpkins ). Does your explanation. What symbolizes Halloween pumpkin ?. The peoples of Celtic origin, as tradition dictated hollowed turnips and put coal in them to light the way back to the world of the living to their dearest dead and so welcomed them, while they protected from evil spirits. But when the Irish came to America, pumpkins met and realized that these were much larger and easier to hollow than turnips, from that time that no one has grown up knowing a Jack -o -lantern, the dark candle Jack.

In the old version of the celebration of Halloween, do not eat meat, so the dishes associated with this date usually sweet or rich in carbohydrates. Some of the longest established, traditional Irish food as were the colcannon, a dish very humble Irish made ​​with cabbage, mashed potatoes, butter, salt and pepper; similar to this, preparing champ but instead of cabbage, with milk and chopped onions (the custom was to do with the first potatoes harvested). Another favorite were the boxty pancakes made ​​with grated raw potatoes, sieved and mixed with baking powder, salt, milk and eggs, with a touch of sugar sprinkled at the end.

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